waltzing in tiptoe
by KeytoDestiny
Summary: <html><head></head>Shiki wonders what would happen, if she would just step a little bit closer, reach a little higher – wonders if she would finally find what she's been looking for. (neku/shiki, josh friendship)</html>


For my dear friend, Di (Amulet Misty), who always treats me too well. :'D

This is admittedly not that good, but it's been a long time since I've written anything substantial and it's better than nothing.

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**waltzing in tiptoe**

–_it means taking a chance_

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Shiki really wishes she had inspiration.

It's already been half an hour of staring into blank sheets and searching for non-existent ideas, and still nothing. That feeling is undoubtedly there at the tips of her fingers - the quick urgency and flash of brilliance that can only be inspiration _–_ but it means nothing if she can't grasp it.

A breeze pushes the wind chime above her into a gentle lull, sounding a refreshingly sweet note, and Shiki decides now is as good of a time to take a break as any. Her back falls gently, flat against the wooden panels, brown hair splaying freely under. She takes a few moments to trace bright orange goldfish and crystal bubbles painted intricately on cheap glass, admires the simple beauty of the wind chime. It's a cute design, she thinks.

Her cellphone starts vibrating, a blessing maybe, breaking the peaceful silence and sluggish tedium. It's probably either from Eri, showing her a new design while she was in her fashion program, or the Bito siblings, sending more gorgeous photos from their family trip in Hawaii.

Unfortunately, it's Eri.

_here's a yukata design customized just for you! hope you enjoy the festival~  
><em>_how's summer alone with neku going? i want to come bk to a blooming romance ;D_

_p.s. don't worry, u'll find ur inspiration. neku's with u anyways, so do ur best! designing as well as confessing :D_

__–_eri _

Shiki smiles at the design blueprint _–_ she'll look forward to sewing it this coming week _–_ but she also makes a face, wanting to bonk Eri on the head for the rest of the message. Talk about embarrassing, having your best friend ship you with your other best friend.

Her hand falls down to her side again, cellphone slipping out. It's not that she doesn't like Neku, because she does, it's just_–_

"What're you thinking?"

Shiki lets out a small _'eep'_ before quickly spinning herself back upright. Neku's staring at her curiously a few feet away from where he is sitting, momentarily taking a break from his sketchbook art.

"It's nothing!" she assures with a (hopefully) nonchalant squeak. Shiki offers a sheepish smile and gestures at the white sheets in front of her. "I'm just stuck is all."

"Artist's block, huh?" Neku tugs contemplatively at a spike of his orange hair, seemingly accepting her answer – it probably doesn't seem like anything out of the ordinary, since she's always this flustered. Either way, Shiki is grateful and takes this time to brush her earlier thoughts away.

"I'm not really sure what to do when the inspiration's so close," she sighs.

"Don't think too much about it, and let your imagination and feelings flow." Neku averts his gaze and rubs the back of his neck aimlessly. "Just – enjoy the moment."

Shiki smiles, wonders if it's really that simple. Neku is always good at surprising her, in the littlest of ways. "I know, I know."

Neku pushes himself up to a stand, stretching his arms with a content sigh before holding his hand out to her. "Let's take a break and do something else for now." He holds out his hand with those twinkling bright blue eyes and lopsided grin.

Shiki takes his hand, and his skin is smoothly cool to touch under the summer heat. It's there again, that tingling feeling in her fingertips.

"Yeah. Relaxing sounds good. We can get some lemonade and watch anime or read manga or something."

"... Don't forget Piggy."

"Mr. Mew's a _cat_! Geez!"

Things are okay the way they are now, she thinks.

.

.

Ever since the end of the Reapers' Game, and they all came back to life, it's like everything shined in her eyes. Before, the world seemed dull and gray, bleak and hopeless, but now – now it was full of sparkling colors.

She feels it, too, the change. Shiki knows that that inspired feeling urging her towards her dreams are thanks to the Game, thanks to meeting Neku.

That's why it frustrates her when she can't bring herself to create even a single good design.

Her hands weave in a seamless rhythm with the needle in between the soft fabric.

Shiki knows that her Imagination isn't strong, has known from the beginning. It's why she was only able to use the pin for telekinesis in the Reapers' Game, why she was only able to use Mr. Mew even with that. Shiki isn't like Neku, who is strong in both will and mind. He is always dreaming in colors and creating new worlds, and that is why his Imagination shines so brightly.

She doesn't want to waste the second chance that they all fought for, the second chance that Joshua gave them. Not when she and Eri are a team again, and certainly not when she, Neku, Beat, and Rhyme are all together once more, just the way things should be.

Still, sometimes she can't help but feel the ugly self-hatred that lingers. It's never that much – a hint of frustration, a pang of self-doubt. It's never that much, but it's enough.

_I still have a long way to go. S_he nips at the thread, breaking it.

It's for a different reason now, but she can't help but feel her dreams are still so faraway _–_ close enough to touch, but just out of reach.

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"How do I look?"

Shiki twirls around gracefully in her green yukata, stitched together with light pink and white cherry blossoms.

Neku texts something on his cellphone before looking up and smiling. "It looks great. You and Eri really do make a good team."

"Hehe, thanks! Maybe we'll make one for everyone else the next summer festival. Your old blue yukata's a bit plain." She rubs her nose sheepishly and moves to his side, adjusting her glasses. "Did Joshua say when exactly he was coming?"

"He'll come whenever he feels like it, I guess. As usual." The cellphone vibrates, prompting him to check the screen again with narrowed eyes. Neku's scowling darkly all of a sudden, and Shiki tilts her head closer, wondering what the Composer possibly could've said that was that bad.

_Love you too, Neku.  
><em>–<em>Joshua_

With a heart. Oh.

Neku snaps his phone shut in irritation before she can catch a glimpse of anything more.

"He just texted me saying he'll be here soon," he bites out. Is it just her or is the scary frown on Neku's face getting even scarier by the second? "Told us to enjoy ourselves meanwhile."

Shiki can't help but laugh a bit uneasily, but she puts a gentle hand on his arm anyways. "Well, then let's do that until Joshua arrives, okay? I'm sure he's busy doing what Composers do."

"Right." Neku gives a low sigh before his expression relaxes and he offers her a small smile. "Want some crepes? My treat."

Shiki orders a chocolate-sauced crepe filled with strawberries, whipped cream, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It's the sweetest recipe on the menu – Neku and Eri often scold her for indulging in sweets (or, in Neku's case, taunts her saying she'll get fat like a pig), but it wasn't like she ate them all the time! Besides, it was a festival! She could pig out a little bit, right?

Neku gets a standard original. He's not much of a sweets person, Shiki knows that much, so it doesn't surprise her that he'd go for something simple. What _does_ surprise her is when Neku orders a second, blueberries included.

"One for Josh," Neku explains, shifting his feet. "He always got blueberries as an extra on his crepes. This is practically the closest thing to sweet he likes."

It's been getting hotter lately, and the afternoon heat doesn't really help. The sky's just beginning to shine a golden hue, sun still high, and the crowd only seems to grow bigger, louder, with parades dancing to booms of taiko drums and chirps of lute flutes. It's a bit hard to move in her yukata and wooden shoes, hard to keep close as they chat lightly about every little thing _–_ new headphones and summer homework, shoujo manga and new fashion trends, how Beat and Rhyme must be having fun with their parents in Hawaii and their promise of neat souvenirs and how they'll need to go together for the next festival.

It's getting harder to move, and without thinking, she reaches out to grasp Neku's sleeve lightly. She doesn't realize their words trail off into a comfortable silence until much later, but Neku doesn't mind and neither does she.

"Neku, I wish I could be more like you."

They're resting in the shade of a tree, tasting the subtle sweetness in their crepes, when Shiki decides to let out the thoughts that have been wandering in her mind.

"What do you mean?"

"Stronger, I guess. I like myself now, of course, but... I feel like it's not enough..." she trails off.

"Aren't you fine the way you are now?" When Shiki doesn't answer, opting instead to stare at her crepe quietly, Neku sighs. "If I had to be honest, sometimes I wish I was more like _you_."

This comes as a surprise to her. "Really? Why's that?"

"You're always looking out for people, listening to them and helping them out. I'm not a natural at that, obviously."

Shiki waves her hands frantically, a faint pink dusting her cheeks. "T-That's not true! You're a really kind person too, Neku! And_–_"

He laughs, effectively quieting her rambles. "See? That's exactly what I mean." Neku takes another bite out of his crepe, gazing out at the festival and streams of people as a breeze rustles the leaves above them.

"You've got dreams, too. That's more than I can say, considering I don't really have any. I'm just fumbling my way around with art. You're brave, you know. You're always aiming for your dreams, doing your best even when it's a struggle _–_ just like you did during the Reapers' Game." Neku is smiling. "I'm glad you forced me to open up. It's helped me change too."

"... Are you glad you got to see the real me?"

"Do you even have to ask?"

And Shiki remembers the first time they met back in the RG, when they were both alive again and the sky was shining brighter than ever. Her heart beats louder, faster, until it's pounding in her ears. It happens sometimes – this feeling like they're both dancing in a world of their own together, like no one else exists.

And this is when she feels that fleeting strike of imagination the strongest, driving her to _live._

Shiki takes a hopeful breath, wondering if she can shine like him, too, and thinks maybe it's possible because there are no limits and she wants to go as far as she can.

"I'm sorry, is this a bad time? I'd hate to be interrupting."

Joshua is walking towards the pair when they look up, hand in a half-wave; unlike everyone else, Joshua appears to weave through the crowd seamlessly, Shibuya perhaps unconsciously bowing to its Composer. His cream-colored yukata shimmers almost ethereally in the warm glow of the early sunset, and the small light blue dragonflies scattered across the cloth shine.

Neku glowers at the boy. "I think it's always a bad time when you walk in."

"Joshua, I love your yukata! It's beautiful!" she gushes, eyes sparkling in admiration.

"You look dazzling as well, Shiki. As expected of a fashion designer in the making." Joshua turns to Neku, who automatically narrows his eyes. He doesn't like the intent once-over the ashen blonde-haired boy is giving him. Or the smirk. Especially the smirk. "And aren't you just the epitome of cool, Neku! That shade of dark blue really brings out your eyes."

"Why do I get the feeling I'm being harassed." Neku shoves the folded treat to the other boy, who giggles. "Here, Shiki and I got you a crepe."

"Hee hee. Why, thank you." Joshua glances at the fresh blueberries sitting atop strawberries and whipped cream; confusion flickers across his face for a brief moment, but he doesn't say anything. When Joshua turns his head away, glancing at the sky and tall buildings, he appears slightly anxious.

"Is something wrong?" Shiki asks, furrowing her eyebrows.

"I'm not used to leaving the UG in Mr. H's care. A city unattended by its ruler," he quips. "Maybe it's best if I head back."

Neku scoffs, steps to Joshua's side and roughly shoves the shocked boy forward with one hand. The Composer turns to his proxy in confusion, violet eyes wide.

"Josh, Shibuya's fine. The city won't blow up if you take a day off to hang out with us." Neku gives a small grin that reaches his blue eyes, and Joshua stares. "Don't be an asshole and let's go. We're friends, and friends have fun together. "

It's a calm sort of quiet as Neku and Shiki wait, surrounded by the familiar noises of the festival and city, until Joshua sighs lightly, shrugging.

"... How sweet of you, Neku. I must admit, I'm touched." Joshua brushes away a lock of hair from his eyes and smirks. "I suppose I have no choice, since you are my dear, dear Partner after all."

Neku scowls. That peace was definitely short-lived. "Just eat your damn crepe already and quit saying weird crap."

"If you say so." Joshua had almost forgotten about it. He hums in pleasure upon his first taste test, grateful it isn't too sweet.

Shiki beams. "How is it?"

"Quite tasty. The fruits are especially fresh, perfect for a summer festival."

Neku raises an eyebrow. "... Why blueberries, anyways?"

"I'm a fan," he replies, as if that explained everything. Neku tries not to simper at the Composer's smirk, which he swears is _especially_ just for him.

.

Festivals really are a lot of fun, if not full of silly memories and random encounters.

It started first with Joshua demanding Neku to win him a prize of some kind at the game stands, and one chain of events lead to another. They ran into Uzuki and Kariya, a pair as usual, and the magenta-haired teen taunted the group with the intent to pick a fight. Neku, not one to back down from a challenge, accepted without hesitation. Kariya watched the heated competition, complete with insults and growls, in amusement with his bean-paste flavored lollipop, while Shiki and Joshua wandered to a nearby stand after a few rounds to buy some drinks.

Shiki sips her iced tea in contentment, pleased by the coolness, as she sees Neku fall into his battle stance. He's surprisingly competitive when it comes to things like these, Tin Pin Slammer included, but Shiki finds that this is just so Neku in his own way and she likes this side of him too, and she can't stop the silly happy grin that spreads across her face.

"Why don't you just tell him?"

Shiki simultaneously jolts in shock and feels her heartbeat skyrocket as she whips her head around. Joshua's lips are curved into a delicate smirk, light and teasing.

"What?!" she squeaks.

"Your feelings," Joshua clarifies, tone half-mocking.

Shiki quickly waves both hands in front of her face, desperately trying to hide the burning pink in her cheeks. "W-What feelings? Neku and I are just friends!"

"Exactly." Joshua's violet eyes continue to pierce into what she feels is her soul until she sighs and gives up. He giggles, smile light and lilting, and she can't help but feel a little bit at ease, a tiny weight lifted off her shoulders.

Shibuya is more peaceful now in the sunset, a softer bustle and chatter from a day well spent in festivities. Together with the warm palette of reds, oranges, and yellows that paint the sky, the canopy of lanterns begin to glow and cast a gentle light below. Nearby, a group of little kids dash and gather at a goldfish stand, squealing gleefully as the water splashes and the goldfish slip out of their holds.

"It's not that I don't want to," she says, voice suddenly quiet. "I don't really have the courage to."

"You're a brave person, you know."

Shiki laughs at this, thinks Joshua must be mistaking her masked bravado for false courage.

"I'm not brave. Even in the Reapers' Game, I was always scared." _Afraid of becoming Eri, then losing herself. Afraid of getting a second chance. Afraid of Neku seeing the real her._ "I just put on a brave face _because_ I'm so scared, and I don't know what else to do."

But the Composer shakes his head.

"You're mistaken, Shiki. There doesn't exist a single person that isn't afraid of something." Joshua looks at Neku with a frown. His eyes are distant, searching somewhere faraway that she can't reach. "You can have all of the confidence and power in the world, and still be afraid."

It never really crossed her mind to think that Joshua might be scared too, might be scared just like the rest of them, and she wonders. "Then what exactly does it mean to be brave?"

"Bravery doesn't necessarily entail one brimming with confidence, charging fearlessly into something. It's pushing forth in spite of being afraid, in spite of knowing failure is very much a possibility. Having the courage to take a step, even if it's just a tiny one."

Shiki closes her eyes, hears the wind chime ring with a breeze.

"It means taking a chance," she surmises.

"Yes. A leap of faith, if you will." Joshua chuckles. "And isn't that what life is?"

Shiki watches as he closes his eyes, as if focusing on something intently, and maybe he's listening to Shibuya's music, its rhythms and beats, maybe he understands how limitless the whole universe really is but for all it's worth the answers are still unknown.

"... If I try to be braver, will you too?"

Joshua looks at her, all mortal wonderment and awe. But then a winged pink-maned unicorn plush suddenly flies into his face without any warning whatsoever, and she's never seen the Composer shocked beyond words before but there's a first time for everything. There's the sound of full-blown laughter, and when they turn aroundk they find a very smug Neku smirking, arms crossed in satisfaction.

"Revenge is sweet."

"That was totally uncalled for."

Joshua sulks, but he looks down at the fluffy unicorn in his hands and can't help but smile, tiny and gentle.

.

In the evening, fireworks light up the sky with fiery booms. The crowd around them cheers.

"Neku?"

He turns to her. "Yeah?"

Shiki loves fireworks, thinks they're like flowers blooming in the night.

"Maybe I am fine the way I am now, but it doesn't hurt to want to move forward and become better, right?"

Neku thinks for a moment, admires the colorful flashes that light up her green eyes.

"Yeah, I guess not."

.

.

Her cellphone blinks at five in the morning.

Shiki rubs her eyes slowly, half-awake, and her pillow is really soft but she's going to ignore the temptation to flop back down ungracefully because her phone's still vibrating. After securing her glasses in the dark and grabbing her phone, she scans through her messages.

_you awake? i'm outside your house right now. can you come down?  
><em>–<em>neku _

Shiki covers the tired yawn that escapes as she walks towards the open window and peeks out. Immediately, orange spikes stand out and she sees Neku waving with his phone in hand. She waves back, giving a small smile.

_be right there! ^^  
><em>–<em>shiki _

Because it's summer, the nights are pleasantly cool. Shiki's wearing her favorite white nightdress, which is probably enough, but she throws on a green jacket just in case anyways before tiptoeing down the stairs. She wouldn't want to wake her parents up and have them questioning why Neku was here at this hour (her mom and dad trusted them both, but that didn't mean they'd get off the hook so easily for these sorts of things).

She closes the front door with a soft _click_ just as Neku approaches her, clad in a cotton purple shirt and white capris. He's been wearing more basic clothing lately, and while it isn't the most fashionable, it suits Neku nicely. She likes simpler clothing herself.

"Hi, Neku!" she whispers, grinning.

He raises an eyebrow in response. "Aren't you going to ask what we're doing?"

"Well, I thought greeting you first was more important." Shiki huffs, putting her hands on her hips teasingly.

"Right. Sorry it's so late." Neku pauses. "Or early, whatever."

"It's fine." Shiki adjusts her glasses. The sun is beginning to peek out of the horizon now, a pastel array of pinks, blues, and yellows breaking the dark. There's a nice breeze only makes the cool morning air more refreshing, and Shiki breathes in with a serene sense of calm.

"So, what's up? Are we going somewhere?"

By way of answer, Neku begins to walk, hands in his pockets, and she falls into step besides him in a rhythm she's all too familiar with.

"Whenever I felt like I needed to get away from everything, I'd walk around Shibuya around dawn. Still do sometimes, but now it's usually when I'm just lacking inspiration. No one else is really around because it's so early, so it helps me think and clear my head."

She nods understandingly. Sometimes she likes to sit in the park or by a pond when she's sewing too. "So we're taking a walk?"

"Kinda - there's more. But I'll tell you when we get there."

Neku knows she trusts him, even when he always surprises her in the littlest of ways. He's good at that.

Shibuya is a lot different in the early hours of the morning. It's quieter, softer.

They walk in comfortable silence, passing by Hachiko (now that she thought about it, Neku must've met her at her house in person because it was so dark - not that he'd ever say it out loud, of course) and strolling through Scramble Crossing. It was strange to see the entire area, usually filled with a sea of people surging across concrete, be nearly completely empty. It's not filled with the usual chatter of noise she's used to in the daytime, but she likes this peacefulness and beautiful sense of calm.

After passing Tipsy Tose Hall, it doesn't take Shiki long before she figures out they're heading for Udagawa. This was the only route there, after all, and she knows Mr. H's CAT mural is Neku's favorite place. While she doesn't go there too often herself, she admires the powerful images and colors that call out to Shibuya's people, inspiring them to revel in individuality.

So Shiki is surprised, to say the least, when she finds the entire wall a clean, blank white.

"Mr. H cleared the whole wall for me to let me practice." Neku picks up a spray can and shakes it experimentally. "I thought maybe we could spray paint it together, and it might inspire you or get your imagination going."

"But I'm not that great with art, Neku," she starts, uneasy, "much less with graffiti. I don't even know what to paint."

"This is just for fun, so relax. Give it a try and see what happens." She opens her mouth to protest again, but stops when Neku smiles at her softly and holds his hand out to her, fingers outstretched, and she takes it. Inspiration tingles at the tips again.

"Enjoy the moment. You can do it."

Shiki trusts him, and the answer is as simple as that. "Okay."

At first, everything is hesitant _–_ taking a deep breath in the sunrise, touching the cool metal under her fingertips, spraying the first bit of paint out on to the wall _–_ and she doesn't even really know what she's creating but Neku squeezes her hand comfortingly and she knows it'll be okay.

So for once, she doesn't think; she lets her imagination flow and all her feelings go.

And, if she listens closely enough, she thinks she can hear it _–_ Shibuya's Music, a steady pop rhythm of dreams that intermixes with theirs as the sun rises higher. There's a piece that is willfully powerful, sharp and blunt but surprisingly gentle in its own kind way that reminds her of Neku's, and there's a soothingly sweet melody underneath, low-key but brave, and maybe just maybe that's hers.

It's almost like an intimate dance, graceful and clumsy at the same time, and she knows he'll catch her if she falls, and she'll be there to do the same.

When they finish and step back to examine their work, it's a beautiful flourish of colors all over across the wall. Shibuya's towering buildings and its ever-blue sky and the shadows that fall, the city's crowds of people in changing fashion trends buying ramen and burgers and desserts. There're waves and surfboards, bell pendents and music notes, reaper wings and angel feathers and flowers that bloom.

And this is what Shibuya truly is, she thinks, all these different people and values and personalities gathering together to clash and expand. This is what inspiration is.

"I feel a lot more free now," Shiki breathes. "I'm no good at art, so it's not perfect. But somehow, it's still really beautiful. I like it."

"Shibuya isn't perfect, and it isn't supposed to be. And does it really matter? I mean, even if you suck at art, you can make stuffed piggies just fine." Neku cracks a lopsided grin at her. "Besides, I like you just the way you are, flaws and all."

Shiki smiles. Neku's good at that, too – the whole Partner thing. "You really _have_ gotten less dorky."

"Shut up."

Shiki laughs with her heart wide open, the entire world before emerald eyes, and she skips up the stairs above their graffiti mural as Neku follows leisurely behind, hands in pockets and smile all kindness and fond. When they reach the top, the sunrise is already peeking out above the shadowy buildings, and the wind blows.

Joshua is right. Life truly is a leap of faith - an intricate waltz of twists and turns, unexpected and free, a series of tiny steps towards a grand finale just beginning. It's trusting your Partner and enjoying the moment. It's also opening up your world and taking a chance.

Shiki laughs again, can't stop this uplifting feeling bubbling inside her and doesn't want to. "Neku, let's dance!"

"What? No way." Neku pulls at his orange hair, frowning. "Besides, I don't even know how."

"That's okay, me neither. It'll just be a silly dance, nothing fancy of course."

"... Do I really have to?"

"Come on, it'll be fun!" Shiki pouts and claps her hands together. "Please?"

"Fine," Neku sighs, trying to hide a smile. The happiness that lights up up her expression is worth it.

She reaches out to take both his hands, fingers interlacing together, and somehow it's the most comforting feeling in the world. Neku wonders how different things would've been if Shiki hadn't waltzed into his life that fateful day, when she asked him to be her Partner in the Reapers' Game, when she asked him to be her friend – be a part of her life.

Even as they spin and twirl in a silly dance, under fading stars and fleeting dreams, everything will be alright.

Her favorite white nightdress is dotted with graffiti spray paint, and her flip flops cling loosely to her feet. But in the sunrise and light breeze that whispers over the city, laughing besides this boy with blue eyes who changed her and her entire life, she feels more alive than she ever has been.

"Neku, thank you for everything." Her voice is soft, and before she can doublethink herself or hesitate, she pours the rest of her heart out too. "Hey, what would you do if I said I like you?"

He glances away, blushing a faint pink. "What would you do if I said I like you back?"

"I'd be happy."

"... Me too."

Shiki wonders what would happen, if she would just step a little bit closer, reach a little higher – wonders if she would finally find what she's been looking for. She thinks that now, if she took another chance, it'd be okay. As long as they were enjoying the moment, right?

So she tiptoes up into a kiss, and her glasses press against his cheek.

Neku doesn't seem to especially mind.

.

.

.

"You finally found your inspiration?" Shik is sketching furiously in a notebook under the sunlight while Eri waves Mr. Mew's paw and watches on in wonder.

Shiki smiles brightly. "Yeah, I did!"

"It has to do with Neku, doesn't it." When Shiki blushes and looks down, not denying a thing, Eri's mouth falls open. She drops Mr. Mew unceremoniously to the table. "Omigosh. You're together? You're together. YOU'RE TOGETHER! OMIGOSH."

"I think you and Joshua would get along really well," she says simply, fingers twirling.

It's an excited flurry of words that passes into a blur as Eri freaks out. "You're spilling the beans to me _–_ all the details, even the little ones, everything."

"I know, I know." Shiki smiles happily as she listens to her best friend's familiar rants. She takes Mr. Mew into her arms and gazes at the blue sky and fluffy white clouds. It's a nice day. "We should all go the next summer festival together before school starts again!"

She feels as light as air, feels like she's shining.

.

.

Joshua is lounging _–_ comfortably so _–_ on Neku's bed, watching his proxy stare at his purple cellphone. It's adorable, really. Neku's trying to figure out the best way to tell Beat and Rhyme, on their way back from Hawaii, the news.

"Should I name her?" Joshua asks, picking up his soft new unicorn friend.

Neku glances at him. "Do whatever you want. I gave it to you, so it's yours now."

"Hmm." He's thinking the winged unicorn with the sparkly pink mane must be a princess. Royalty among royalty after all.

"Hey, Josh?" Something vulnerable in Neku's voice makes Joshua look up. Neku fidgets under the intent gaze of his violet eyes. "You're my best friend too, you know."

Joshua chuckles.

"Thanks, Neku."

.

(He tunes in to Neku's Music later _–_ delightfully surprised and pleased to find that the melody is warm and peaceful, filled with pure feelings of what he supposes one would call love. And really, it isn't so bad _–_ trusting your Partner and taking chances are small prices to pay for becoming braver.)

.

.

_fin._

_._

.

What did I just write. I spent an inordinate amount of time on this, it was difficult, there're many things wrong with it because I rushed it, and I'm not satisfied but I just hope it's good enough.

I actually intended this oneshot to be _much_ simpler than it turned out to be.

Di, I hope you enjoyed this. :'D


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